Palisades: A Story I Never Expected To Tell

In this deeply personal episode, Mike returns to his childhood home in Pacific Palisades — a place that once symbolized comfort, community, and family — now forever changed by one of the most devastating wildfires in U.S. history.

Through intimate conversations with his mother (and her experience of living in the Palisades for over 50 years), as well as his childhood best friend, photographer Chris Clinton, Mike explores themes of loss, resilience, and the unshakable spirit of community. Together, they reflect on growing up in the Palisades, the day the fire struck, and what it means to rebuild not just homes, but hope.

This is a story about memory, change, and finding connection in the aftermath of tragedy — a love letter to a place that shaped a lifetime of meaning.

Chapters:
00:00 – Returning home to the Palisades
04:00 – A call from Mom: loss, displacement, and silver linings
08:00 – Rebuilding community after the fire
10:00 – A conversation with childhood friend Chris Clinton
15:00 – Growing up in the Palisades
18:00 – The day the fire hit
24:00 – Escaping the flames and saving what remains
30:00 – The aftermath: grief, survival, and resilience
40:00 – What we lost — and what remains
48:00 – Finding meaning, healing, and home again